March 1, 1982

In the late 1970's, when videotape recorder sales began rising throughout the world, two Japanese companies saw an opening. Where there are recorders, the reasoning went, there will be tapes. And while the Fuji Photo Film Company was probably the first to begin production of videotape cassettes for retail sale, it did not remain the largest producer. The TDK Electronics Corporation, which had been making audio tapes since the early 1950's, quickly eclipsed its rival, assuming a lead it has held ever since. Today, the company is the world's largest producer of videotape cassettes, supplying as much as 35 percent of overall world demand.

The Nets' 110-95 victory over the San Diego Clippers before 14,313 fans at Byrne Meadowlands Arena this afternoon was not a stylish one. It was achieved against a struggling and battered team reminiscent of the Nets before they became playoff contenders. Six Nets scored in double figures, led by Ray Williams's 23 points. New Jersey ran away from the Clippers by outscoring them, 12-3, at the end of the third period for a 76-63 lead.

International El Salvador's election next month is regarded gloomily by President Reagan's senior advisers. They are also doubtful about the ability of the Salvadoran Government to achieve a military victory over the rebels. Administration officials said President Reagan had been receiving increasingly pessimisitic reports that the guerrillas would succeed in reducing participation in the March 28 election by threats and confiscatng voter identification cards at gunpoint. (Page A1, Col. 6.) Central America's problems are being exaggerated by the international press and by some United States politicians, the President of El Salvador's junta, Jose Napoleon Duarte said in an interview. He Duarte said in an interview. He said the international attention is harming the ''little countries,'' including Nicaragua and El Salvador. He also said that if his Christian Democrats win the March 28 elections they will not negotiate with the ''extreme left'' or the ''extreme right'' over a share of the power. (A1:4-5.)

The nation's ailing savings industry is approaching the ultimate crunch, and there are a variety of proposals on to how to deal with it. Figures released last Friday by the New York State Banking Department confirmed the seriousness of the situation. During the fourth quarter, New York City's 34 savings banks alone lost $337 million, with several of the larger banks rapidly running out of reserves. The situation is similar across the country. Some officials are privately predicting that by year-end as many as 600 failing savings banks and savings and loan associations will need assistance from the Federal deposit-insurance agencies.

The Rangers played one of their weaker games of the season last night, losing, 4-2, to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers started the game poorly when Ed Mio gave Peter Lee, the Penguin forward, three chances to score on the same play. Mio stopped Lee's first shot but could not control the puck, giving Lee two more chances, and he finally poked in a rebound with 3 minutes 1 second gone. The Rangers tied the game on a goal by Mikko Leinonen and outshot the Penguins, 19-8, in the first period. But Mio gave up another goal, to Pat Price, on a rebound in the middle of the second period, and the Rangers never caught up.